Weekend Getaways near Battambang

About Battambang

Continue your Cambodia travel guide from Siem Reap as you head to Battambang, also situated in the northwest. It's a sleepy town with a relaxed attitude and the region is Cambodia's major rice producer. If you want a break from bus journeys, why not take a boat? It will be slow but crowded but will give you a feel of rural Cambodia.

Thank you!

Bangkok has often been referred to as the microcosm of Southeast Asia. Firmly centrestage on the global backpacker scene, Thailand’s capital city is where an entire generation has learnt how to travel. Navigating through the buzzing, boozy night markets where tourists often outnumber locals, bargain shopping, negotiating with tuk-tuk drivers, discovering new flavours and sounds - it often all begins here - in this thumping metropolis with some of the most iconic places that are on every young traveller’s bucket list. Of all the things to do in Bangkok, you will inevitably wind up Khao San road, take the river cruise on Chao Phraya river and walk into one of the many grand palaces and temples that dominate the city’s skyline. While you are there, enjoy hours of guilt-free street shopping, while sampling the exhaustive menu of the unique local cuisine of the streets of Siam. Flutter through alleys of Sukhumvit, buzzing with cafes, bars and everything in between. Bangkok’s nightlife is among the city’s top attractions. Don’t leave here before witnessing the neon glitter that paints the city life after nightfall. By choosing an exciting Bangkok tour package, this magnificent city can be travelled in an extremely delightful and hassle-free manner.Read More

The least expensive approach to head out from Bangkok to Pattaya is by Volvo Bus which costs 108 THB. You can get the Bus from the Airport or Bangkok City Bus Station. The transports leave in like clockwork. Takes around 2 hours from Bangkok Airport and 3 hours from the City. You can either purchase the transport ticket at the ticket counter or book online ahead of time (at a higher cost) at www.thailandbuses.com. The Bus will drop off at Pattaya Bus station and from that point you can hire a Taxi to your hotel.By Taxi- You can enlist a private Taxi (drop off at your inn in Pattaya) from the Bangkok Airport or the City at the cost of approximatley 1200 THB. You may discover a litle contrast in costs with various vendors. You can book a taxi either at the airport or with your hotel or online.Where to Stay in Pattaya:Pattaya City is stacked with huge amounts of inns/resorts/lodgings. The best place is to remain close to the Walking Street. Before booking, look through your hotel on google maps and perceive how far it is from the Walking Street. As you remain nearer to the Walking Street (The Hot Spot of Pattaya), you appreciate the best markets/clubs/eateries/rub parlors at a walkable distance. I stayed in Hotel Siam Bayshore in Pattaya which is an enormous resort with beachfront and 5 star facilities (www.siambayshorepattaya.com). The best part about the property is that the back door of this inn opens exactly at the Walking Street, so you can without much of a stretch stroll down to your hotel after your party hours. For best lodging rates, I would exceedingly recommned www.booking.com which is broadly known.How to Travel in Pattaya:Transportation isn't a stress at all in Pattaya. Taxicabs are shabby and effortlessly accessible.Be that as it may, according to me the most ideal approach to travel and explore Pattaya is to Rent a Motorbike. It is extremely convineint to lease a Bike in Pattaya. the rental shop would request a copy of your passport and hotel details. The Bike would cost you 200 THB for each day (24 hours) with a refundable security desposit of 1000 THB. You can fill the fuel tank with 100 THB and simply make the most of your boundless ride. You understand one more favorable position of the motorbike when you can surpass all the evening traffic, while autos anticipates in the que! Do not give your passport as security for leasing a bike if any rental shop requests it. Simply go to another vendor.Major Spot/Attractions to Visit in Pattaya:1. Coral Island (otherwise called Koh Larn) - You have to buy a tour package to go to Coral Island Pattaya. A Half Day Tour (by Speedboat ride of 30 mins to Coral island with Lunch) would cost you 500 THB. A Full Day Tour (by Speedboat to Coral Island with Lunch and some Water Activities) would cost your 1000 THB roughly.2. Motorbike Tour of Coral Island - You can lease a bike on Coral Island for 300 THB for the entire day and explore the entire island in the most adveturous way. On the bike tour you'll enjoy the fabulous views of the shorelines from the hills of the island and explore diverse beaches and on the off chance that you are an energetic man at that point appreciate the going dirt road romping.3. Big Buddha Hill (otherwise called Wat Phra Yai Temple) - Free Entry (Opens at 7 AM to 10 PM, best time to visit is in morning or before Sunset).4. Pattaya Walking Street - Free Entry (Best time to visit after 9 PM)5. Closseum Show Pattaya - VIP Ticket of the Show for 1000 THB and Deluxe Ticket for 800 THB6. Pattaya Night Bazaar (Market) - (Opening hours: 10 AM to 12 PM, however frequently opens till late)7. Pattaya ViewPoint (otherwise called Pratumnak Hill) - Get the best view of the Pattaya Bay and the City from here. Best to time to go is between 4 pm to 6 pm to watch the lovely dusk from the best.8. Pattaya Floating Market - Opening Hours are 10 AM to 11 PM. Best time to visit is between 3 PM to 5 PM.9. Buddha Mountain (Khao Chi Chan)- Opening hours are 8 AM to 5 PM. Best time is to visit is in morning.10. Silverlake Vineyard - Vineyard with Serene and Romantic environment - Free Entry (Opening hours 9 AM to 6 PM). The Vineyard is situated beside the Buddha Mountain. Vineyard tour costs 250 THB, includes tour by Electic Tram and 2 glasses of Wine.Meals and Beverage:A Pint of Beer from an ordinary groccery store would cost you 80 THB roughly. In a bar or a club it might vary from 100 THB to 250 THB.You can set a rough budget of 200 THB per person for a regular supper. Street food is exceptionally cheap and declicious and one must try it when in Thailand.Street Shopping in Pattaya:The key for a productive shopping in thailand, is to bargain deeply. I am not a decent bargainer but I think my trip realy helped me to brush up my bargaining skills. The best way is to begin your offer with a half price of what the retailer quotes you!Massage:After a long visiting day you will feel blisssful to have an awesome foot rub at the cost of 150 - 200 THB for 60 minutes.Body Massage costs 300 - 500 THB.Do's and Donts':1. Keep your ID verifications and Cards in your lodging while moving out in the night or any swarmed put!2. In the event that you are taking a bike or a car on rent, dependably keep your driving license with you as you are probably going to confront the traffic police anytime. Driving without permit will get you a base fine of 400 THB.3. In the event that you are going in Bangkok, you wil be welcomed for 2 things at each open spot - Tuk Tuk and Boom Boom!! Dont place yourself into any bargain unless you're truly interested.4. Advisable to carry an umbrella, mists can shower whenever!One thing you would love to do everyday in Pattaya througout your stay:FOOT MASSAGE!!Thanks for reading! Khapun Khap :)

Once we headed back to the hotel and once Divyank had settled the money transactions with the Hotel, we booked our Ubers. Four people left first and they got Toyota Fortuner. We were like "Wow"... Then came our Uber, which was a pickup truck... A dream come true... I traveled in a pickup truck.... But still not the one that I wanted ofcourse... But it was fulfilling...We reached the airport and finished immigration check. Then we headed towards the food point, where we had our choice of food. Then announced the boarding of our flight. And there you go... We were off to India...Last but not least, Thanks to Vish, CEO of Cybertech Systems and Software and Raman Sir for co-sponsoring the trip. And also thanks to everyone who wished us success. It was a great overseas road trip we have ever done. Next time, on motorcycles.... What say??? Action Cameras: Garmin Virb Ultra 30 & Garmin Virb XE DSLRs: Nikon D5200 with 18-105mm, NikonD5300 with 35mm prime and Canon EOS 500D. Smartphones: Oneplus Two and Oneplus One Software: Google Snapseed (editing completely done using an Android Smartphone)

Bangkok is great for shopping and a lot cheaper than Phuket but always bargain till you can creep them out :D. Platinum Mall, Pratunam Mall, MBK Mall and Indra Square are the places to shop. Though Indra Square is cheper than others and it also has night market which starts at 11pm and goes on till 9am next day.Our stay was right in the heart of the shopping paradise in Bangkok, at Indra Square!!!. We were right next to Baiyoke Towers but we gave shopping more importance than visiting Baiyoke Rooftop. Haha! Grand Palace, Wat Phra Krai Temple, Golden Buddha Temple, Safari world and Noong Nooch Botanical Garden are family and kids friendly places. Skip these places if you are a couple on honeymoon or holidaying with friends together for fun. We regretted visiting these places. Instead, we could have hopped few new islands and had more fun! sigh!Being vegetarian, I had to survive on Subway sandwiches, salads, fruits and juices. Thank god, I had carried homemade food too with me to survive!Thailand weather is just like Mumbai. Hot and humid all around the year. But do keep a check on the weather when you plan your trip for untimely rains.Bangkok cruise is nothing less than Indians gathering and partying. There are 2 cruises ferrying on Bangkok river. One is for firangs loaded and others for Indians.

On the last day in Bangkok, we woke up late since we had a night flight to catch and we had to pack. We had to figure out how to shift all our shopping from hand baggage to our main baggage without exceeding the weight restrictions. I had carried an extra travel bag with me with nothing in it for just this reason. After I'd filled it up with the items we'd bought, I filled up a new Thai handbag I had just purchased with the rest of the accessories and we were set. We spent some time in the room and decided to catch the train and head to MBK mall to check out (buy) some electronics and do some last bit of shopping. They had a lot of great stuff but I didn't particularly need or want anything so I ended up not buying anything. We spotted a spa and got the world famous Thai massage, pampered myself a little, and finally checked-in to the airport late at night! Our flight was at 2 AM. Worst return flight timings. This time, we were flying back with Indigo.To summarise, here are a few tips to keep in mind before going to Thailand!1) Keep your passport with you all the time.2) Vegetarians, please pack some ready to cook/eat food because even Ramen, chips everything has some non-veg ingredient in them. I ended up buying this seemingly vegetarian ready-to-eat noodles and later found chunks of beef floating in it. I literally cried out of disappointment.3) Do not lose any tickets that you pick up, like - boat ride, bus, or bills for bike rentals. You need to pay all over again if they ever ask for it again and you don't have it.4) If you are going to any temples please wear full clothes that cover your body. Applies to both boys and girls! While Thai people don't normally say anything if you show off your legs or skin, it's frowned upon and they take it as a sign of disrespect. 5) People going from India, I would suggest you to carry less Thai currency from here and exchange directly in the airport only after you reach as they do not deduct any extra amount for each currency. Also, convert USD to Thai, not INR. It may not even be accepted here. Plus, you get more THB for USD. More money, more shopping!6) "Loth rakha noi, dai mai krap". THIS SENTENCE WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE! Trust me.7) Key to not get lost in the city/country that you are not familiar with is to simply be polite to the locals and they'll do anything to help you. As much as they do not speak English, they always try to help as long as you are nice and respectful.8) Say NO to Tuk-Tuk rides. They charge a bomb - sometimes more than taxis - and please do not ask them for any directions. They'll follow you and pester you by saying that they would drop you to the place. In Bangkok, they would take you on an alternate route to purposely show you some antique shopping areas to promote certain stores. They have tie ups with certain stores and charge less if you purchase something from those stores. It's just easier to rely on cabs and the huge network trains they have.9) Traditional Thai massage will actually hurt a little. They press it hard, so do not get scared. It's all worth it in the end.10) Wear clothes according to what your plans are for the day. If you are the type to worry about what you eat, please ask them before you order. Even though I specify veg, it always smells of fish and has at least egg and seaweed. Learn basic Thai phrases, it'll be of great help. Thai people do not like loud people, so always be polite and kind. While we headed towards Poonsiri from the Krabi Airport, it was mostly a quiet ride where our minibus was filled with soft speaking Singaporeans, Thai people, Americans, and us. While we spoke and interacted gently and politely like any normal human beings, the bus stopped to pick up a few more Indians at one point. A bunch of guys from Delhi got on and after 5 minutes, I didn't know where to hide my face because of how embarrassing they were as representatives of India in another country. They were annoyingly loud, rude, laughing, and poking fun at the Thai people and their language. Our local languages would sound just as funny to Thai people, but you don't see them making fun about it openly, do you? Please be mindful of saying such things in public space. The American and Singaporean couple just smiled at us awkwardly as the guys continued on, and that was the end of our rapport thanks to those idiots.11) Do not even think of disrespecting their king! Do not disrespect him on coins, notes, and even the smallest of pictures. Apparently, he's done a lot for them and recently passed away.12) What to buy: clothes, essential oils (because in India the same ones are exported and are over-expensive), and lights! Electronics, if you need something. Watch out for duplicates.> The mistakes I made:1) If you are in Bangkok do not stay in a hotel away from the city. It is really difficult to getting around due to the lack of connectivity.2) Changing resorts everyday: it'll take half of your day in doing so. You will not have much time to do the other things.3) Converting cash into Thai currency in India because you end up losing a lot in the exchange. Do convert some amount, but as little as possible. Just to cover any immediate purchases either on the flight or the moment you get off.4) Having a huge plan to cover almost all of the places in 9-10 days which is physically NOT possible. When you say, you're going Thailand, you're going to an entire country, not a city. Can you cover the best of India in 10 days and be satisfied?5) Not visiting Ayutthaya and Damnoen Tiger Zoo. I absolutely missed out on these. North Thailand.Aaaand that's it! Hope this blog helps you in at least some small way because I have literally written down every single aspect of what happened! On my way back from the Bangalore airport to my place, I stopped at a local restaurant, ate chicken biryani, and headed home. That was the concluding moment for my trip. Namma ooru biryani!

We had an early morning flight and landed in Bangkok! What a city, fast life, just like any metropolitan city! The city is contemporary set with tall buildings to the monastery and palace. The city has touch of both. We went straight to our hotel which was near Suvarnabhumi International Airport since our return flight to Bangalore would be extremely early in the morning. Taxis maintain a base fare and it adds a few THB up for every km. We had three days in Bangkok and we planned it meticulously.We did the typical tourist thingy in Bangkok which included going to all the tourist places such as Grand Palace, Wat Arun, China Town, Thanon Plaeng Naam - street food market. In the evening, we took long tail boat for the sunset and discovered some crazy food!During this entire trip, I was unable to adapt to their food on any level because I am not really a fan of meat. Any food we bought had fish oil in it and it was mostly beef, pork, insects, octopus, squid, and seafood of all kinds! Yes, vegetarians, it's really hard to find food for you! All the best.The usual MCD and KFC have completely different menus which I thought would save me but that was an utter flop! I love KFC and even KFC burgers and chicken were topped with fish powder of some kind which gave off a very seafood flavour. Definitely not for me!

1. Siam Niramit.Siam Niramit offers memorable acts of Thailand's most colourful festivals and history of Thailand. You can book the show online or buy it at the counter. Your evening starts with an early dinner and pre show activities followed by the main play. Throughout the show, you'll come across Thailand's history and most beautiful and colourful festivals. If you love dancing you can even join the artists in the pre show entertainment. This has been one of the most amazing things I did in Thailand.Place: Siam Niramit theatres are located both in Bangkok and Phuket.

Ah, this is an Indian man's favourite destination. Your cousin or distant uncle must have told you how "funtastic" Bangkok is, and they weren't kidding. The place is a melange of beautiful beaches and ancient Hindu temples, and the people are really hospitable all over. The best part is, tickets are cheap!Must do while here: Go monastery hopping. Visit the Khaosan Road to experience the outrageous nightlife.Average cost per day per head (excluding flights): Rs. 3,000Best Hotels.Read more about Bangkok.

Every year Bangkok experiences a rise of 0.8 degree Celsius and along with temperature fluctuations, flooding has become a present reality for the city. In last few years Bangkok's issue with climate has speed up drastically and a future with irreversible effects.

Day 6, Jan 9th, 2017: Our travel agent had left us to our own devices for this day, so we decided to visit the floating market, another unique thing to Thailand. There are a few floating markets around Bangkok, and we were taken to the Damnoen Saduek Floating Market. We rented a taxi from the hotel to take us there as it is an hour's drive from Bangkok. We crossed lush countryside as we headed for the market. The tickets for an hour long ride on the long-tailed boat along the canals was pretty expensive, 1000 Baht. The roar of the engine sounded loud as we chugged along the narrow canals. We were met by a burst of color and sound as we reached the main area of the market. You can disembark from the boat to stroll the shops in the marketplace or u can choose to browse by boat. Houses on stilts on the banks can be seen in some places. The floating market is colorful and fun at the same time. Each time you want to inspect something from a shop or buy something, the boat rider slows down to make it convenient. The shops sell everything from bags, wallets, belts, beautiful scarves, Thailand t-shirts, dragon printed shirts, coconut shell artifacts. It is an unique experience. We made a stop at a coconut factory and shop, it is strange how every part of the coconut is used for making something. I got some tasty fresh coconut treats to take back home, the lady at the counter even let me taste one.My friends visited the Golden Buddha Temple after we returned back from the floating market and then were taken to a gem factory. We spent our evening shopping again at Indra Mall and nearby areas. This was officially our last day in Thailand as we would be leaving the next day, although we did actually have another day since our flight was late night.

We took a private shuttle from Poipet to Siem Reap. We reached Siem Reap at around 11 PM in the night. But the place where we were dropped wasn’t the place we had to go. These locals are not trustworthy and they are like minded. The shuttle dropped us in the location that is far away from the Siem Reap city and that is the place where you get Tuk-Tuks (Motorcycle/Rickshaw Mashup). This guy who walked in to the shuttle kind of scared everyone since we refused to pay the money. We refused to pay because the deal was to drop us in the hotel and not in some dark alley on the back roads of Siem Reap. There were two foreigners along with us, who got scared and paid the money the Tuk-Tuk guys asked and went with them to the hotel. Please do not judge us as heroes... But we are in no position to pay the money for what they have done. We walked all the way towards the hotel ( roughly 4 kms ).. The trick here was to use the offline maps by Triposo Inc that we pre-loaded to our mobile prior to the trip. We are the #GeoGeeks and we are built to do this kind of stuff. Read More

We took a private shuttle from Poipet to Siem Reap. We reached Siem Reap at around 11 PM in the night. But the place where we were dropped wasn’t the place we had to go. These locals are not trustworthy and they are like minded. The shuttle dropped us in the location that is far away from the Siem Reap city and that is the place where you get Tuk-Tuks (Motorcycle/Rickshaw Mashup). This guy who walked in to the shuttle kind of scared everyone since we refused to pay the money. We refused to pay because the deal was to drop us in the hotel and not in some dark alley on the back roads of Siem Reap. There were two foreigners along with us, who got scared and paid the money the Tuk-Tuk guys asked and went with them to the hotel. Please do not judge us as heroes... But we are in no position to pay the money for what they have done. We walked all the way towards the hotel ( roughly 4 kms ).. The trick here was to use the offline maps by Triposo Inc that we pre-loaded to our mobile prior to the trip. We are the #GeoGeeks and we are built to do this kind of stuff.

Flight to Siem Reap: Cambodia Angkor Air, 1 hourWe were staying in an airbnb place nearby Angkor Wat. We went into Siem Reap town to find a tuk tuk driver for next day (there's not much to see in Siem Reap). We agreed on the 4am pick up for next morning and the whole day driving around for $25.

Since arriving in Siem Reap, Cambodia last September I've been itching to get out and explore. I'm also keen to share what this beautiful country has to offer aside from the Angkor Temples and The Killing Fields. Whilst these are absolute musts, there's a whole lot more to Cambodia, much of it off the beaten track, away from the tourist hoards. With that in mind, this series was born. Andy and I will endeavour to visit and write about one off the beaten track place here every month. The aim being to encourage people to stay longer in Cambodia and see some of it's less touristy offerings. First up is a Kulen Mountain day trip, where a group of us went on a day trip from Siem Reap in January.
Siem Reap is as being as flat as a pancake, but 40 km to the North East of Angkor Wat, in Svay Leu District is Phnom Kulen National Park. The small regular shaped plateau of the Phnom Kulen mountain range protrudes from the landscape, nestled amongst thick jungle. Locals consider Kulen Mountain or 'Mountain of Lychees' to b the most sacred mountain in Cambodia. It's frequently visited by Buddhists and Hindus's in pilgrimage. On top of the plateau is a sacred hilltop with about 30 ruined temples. Much of the land is yet to be de-mined, which means currently, the public can't visit many of the temples, and definitely not without an expert guide.
What to See and Do

As we stepped off the plane at Siem Reap International Airport the excitement took over. We were hit by the familiar hot, humid air and the smell of South East Asia. I think this unique smell is a combination of close, muggy air infused with incense, spices, cooking, gasoline, and in the rainy season, wet grass, leaves and mud.
Andy and I are now nearing the end of our first month in Siem Reap. Therefore I wanted to update you on our roller-coaster of an integration and assimilation to expat life here. Just a pre-warning...this is a lengthy post - I'll try to keep future posts on the little but often basis.
Integration and assimilation is normally over in a day or two after arriving in a new place. It involves finding our bearings, discovering how things work and generally getting into the swing of things. This time it's been different. I think this is partly because we've both been to Cambodia and Siem Reap several times before. It's also because we're not just travelling here, but living and working too.
As a result this post is about our 4 week stint house and pet-sitting, and running our friends guesthouse ( Rosy Guesthouse).
Welcome Back
A friendly tuk-tuk driver from Rosy Guesthouse met us at the airport as usual. He whisked us straight there where we were welcomed by our friends and partook in several obligatory Cambodia draft beers, before getting settled into our favourite room for a few nights.
We then spent an enjoyable evening at our friend's house, where we had dinner and a good catch-up. We also got a tour of the house we'd be living in for the next 4 weeks and met the pets we'd be looking after.
The following day we were given a thorough handover of the day to day running of the guesthouse. We also got a grand tour of the important places in town that we might need such as the bank, money exchange, wholesalers, markets, malls, petrol station etc.
A Tourist Mecca
As we drove around town it soon became clear that Siem Reap has changed alot since our last visit 4 years ago. It's tourism industry has boomed since we first visited 8 or 9 years ago, which was inevitable given the proximity to the famous Angkor Temple complex.
During our first visit the roads were mainly dirt tracks, with a distinct lack of pavements and just a smattering of guesthouses. Now there are guesthouses, hostels, and hotels everywhere you look.

At the end of October we flew into Siem Reap, Cambodia which was to be our home for the next year. The rest of October we started to get settled into house and pet sitting for our friends and also into getting into the swing of relief managing Rosy Guesthouse for them whilst they returned to the UK for a visit.NovemberWe were kept very busy throughout most of November looking after the Rosy Guesthouse, which was a great experience and helped us to meet lots of other expats and start to make friends here.Our favourite part of this month has to be the 3 day Water Festival. Rosy Guesthouse over-looks the river and Royal Gardens, meaning we had a prime position for watching the dragon boat races. Cambodians love a good party and it was all pretty crazy in the streets near the river.

Lotus fields Siem Reap Cambodia Christmas was wonderful as we spent it with Siem Reap friends old and new. A lot of eating, drinking and partying was involved. Then 5 friends from the UK arrived for a two week holiday and to see in the New Year. It was fantastic to see some familiar faces and a great time was had by all.This post was originally published on Can Travel Will Travel.

We booked our tickets on the Mekong Express bus for 13$. I highly recommend this bus service about which there are glowing reviews everywhere online too. They provide a minivan pick-up from the hotel to the bus station and the buses themselves are super comfortable with plush seating, toilets, air-conditioning and most importantly, curtains to keep out the harsh sun. The Cambodian countryside is soothing to the eyes and after a while most people on the bus dozed off for a bit. We arrived at Siem Reap at 1:30 p.m. having left Phnom Penh at 8:30 a.m. and there were tuk-tuk drivers jostling for customers at the bus-station to take us to our hotel. Another Air BnB find, our hotel was very strategically located...just walking distance away from the hustle and bustle of Pub street but tucked away into a quiet lane right beside one of the exits to the Arts Market. At 4500 INR for three nights, we thought it was a steal.Our hotel reception, as I am guessing will be the case with all hotels, was a treasure trove of useful information about day tours to Angkor sites and other interesting sights around Siem Reap. It was from here that we booked tickets to the Angkor National Museum for 12$ each it saved us the expense of hiring a private tour guide to be with us on the two days that we planned to devote to Angkor temple sites. It was a smart move as it not only saved us nearly 60$. The hotel also helped us with hiring a tuk-tuk, who at 12$ a day was going to take us on a half day tour of all the major and minor sites.

The capital city of the country has lot to offer aprt from party culture. It has vast historical importance. The Pol pot regime was one of the worst period in the history of mankind.It is also the city where the king stays. The Independence Tower, National Museum, Royal palace, Peace Tower, S21 genocide Centre, Killing fields etc are some of the Major attractions in the city.Daily approximately cost for budget traveler :- $25-30Mode of transport:- you can get Tuktuk or can hire a bike for $7-10 a day. Or ride onto moto for $1-3Stay options:- number of hostels for backpackers ranging from $4-12 a night. You can stay in private room or in a dorm.Places to eat:- The central market area, area around Independence monument, Royal palace and the road near riverside.Read More

The capital city of the country has lot to offer aprt from party culture. It has vast historical importance. The Pol pot regime was one of the worst period in the history of mankind.It is also the city where the king stays. The Independence Tower, National Museum, Royal palace, Peace Tower, S21 genocide Centre, Killing fields etc are some of the Major attractions in the city.Daily approximately cost for budget traveler :- $25-30Mode of transport:- you can get Tuktuk or can hire a bike for $7-10 a day. Or ride onto moto for $1-3Stay options:- number of hostels for backpackers ranging from $4-12 a night. You can stay in private room or in a dorm.Places to eat:- The central market area, area around Independence monument, Royal palace and the road near riverside.

Whenever I travel to a new place, I like to steep myself deep in their culture, of which food is an extremely integral part. Cambodia was no different, especially since I had heard great things about the food here. So, it seemed but natural to enrol for a cooking class while I was in Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. Khmer food includes a lot of fish, fish sauce (which I fund a bit too strong fro my liking), chicken and pork. They also feast on many insects, which we were not adventurous enough to try.After referring to trip advisor about various cooking schools, we chose Veasna's Cooking class (Veasnainthekitchen.com) as we could customise the menu and have a private class for ourselves. Veasna came at 8:30 am to our Hotel on Sisowath Quay and off we were to shop for our ingredients.Just after a few minutes' walk, we reached the market where every fish, meat and vegetable imaginable were being sold. The sights were very fascinating; women filleting fish with the same skill of a starred chef, milk being extracted from coconuts with specialised equipment, mounds of the famous kampot pepper filling the sir with their aroma, fresh lemongrass and kafir lime leaves made into a ready-to-use paste and new vegetables that I had never encountered amongst others. WE spent a goof 45 minutes walking around and buying produce for our meal. On our way to the cooking class, we picked up a huge tender coconut inside which we were to cook fish amok - Cambodia's most popular dish (and my favourite).

A lazy beach mini-vacation and gorgeous tan later, make your way to the capital of Cambodia. You can't plan your Cambodia travel guide without stopping at Phnom Penh. From history to royalty, food to shopping, Phnom Penh has it all!

Cambodia has a difficult and painful history of genocide in the not-so-distant past. Between 1975-1979 almost 3 million out of 8 million Cambodians died of starvation or were killed by the Khmer Rouge. Note of caution: I was prepared for what was to come since I had read up about the genocide but it was still very depressing and emotionally taxing. At the gates of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum or S-21 prison we paid 6 $ each and got audio head sets, players and a map each. To see this building from the outside nobody would dream of the nightmarish atrocities that happened inside it. The audio tour is a good investment as it takes visitors through numbered points in the school-turned-prison building. Our minds numb with the horrors of history we had just witnessed, we set off for the next destination: The Killing Fields. This is the mass grave-site where prisoners from S-21 were taken and killed. The main structure here is a memorial built in traditional Khmer style housing hundreds of human skulls and bones that were found there. There is an audio tour here too which explains what happened here and there is a short video that is played for 10 minutes every half hour for visitors.

The trip began at Phnom Penh. From Kolkata, return tickets to this capital city can be procured for as low as 20,000 INR. Cambodia is a visa-on-arrival destination for Indians which makes it all the more lucrative for travel. 30 USD visa fees, a passport sized photograph and a basic filled-in immigration form handed in at the airport immigration desk results in a tourist visa within minutes.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital city with rich history shows the grit with which Cambodians are rising after the cannibalistic rule they have suffered from. This place shares with us its struggles of the past and dreams of the future

SIEM REAP We boarded our Air Asia flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap(as there is no direct flight from India). It costs about 2k one way. Siem Reap is home to one of the most majestic structures in the world, the Angkor Wat! Angkor Wat is spread over 200-300 acres. It is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the world. Primarily, it is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Exploring the ruins will take an entire day. Ensure that you have a guide with you to explain everything. Without a guide you will not be able to fully appreciate the Angkor experience! While in Siem Reap, do go for an Apsara dance. One of the finest dance performances I've seen till date! If you love to experience the local Khmer traditions, this is your best bet. Cambodia brews one of finest beers! I JUST LOVED THE BEER! Priced at a dollar for 2 pints, you can't ask for more! Drink drink drink! We stayed at this B&B called Rosy Guest house. Really nice rooms for just 30$ a night was a steal! Tip: Don't shop at Siem Reap as things are expensive. Shop in Pnohm Penn instead. Pnohm Penh:You will need around 2 days here. Finish your sightseeing on the first day and keep the second day just for shopping. There is not much to see here. The city palace is a must see! Built in the traditional Khmer style of architecture, this Palace is one of the iconic buildings of Cambodia. Later you could visit a few temples and take a sunset cruise or just stroll along the Riverside. When in Pnohm Penh, shop. Just shop! Things here are at throw away prices. You get unbelievable deals. I bought t-shirts for a dollar each. Yes you read it right. 1 DOLLAR! The quality? Top notch. There are 2 markets namely the Central Market and Russian Market. Go to the central market if you want variety. You will need at least 2 days to cover this market. From clothes, bags, jewelry to cutlery, you can find everything here! People generally say Bangkok is a shopper's paradise. Trust me, we found Bangkok to be way more expensive than Cambodia. So happy shopping :) Food is never a problem in Cambodia. Vegetarian food is easily available. There are plenty of Indian restaurants too. Personally I would rather try the unique Khmer cuisine. So what are you waiting for? Don't think. Just pack and leave. Go have an Adventure of a Lifetime xD

Day 2 - Was travel day to Pattaya.Thanks to a very minor accident,we had to postpone the travel to early evening and not morning as planned.We took a bus from Ekkamai bus station to Pattaya.Buses leave on time here and hence it is best to arrive early enough.It gets very humid in Bangkok and hence best to ensure that you consume enough fluids through the day.We arrived at our hotel in Pattaya,relaxed for while before we headed to the streets nearby.Pattaya can be very much on your face initially.Definitely not my favorite place!Travel tip - shared tuk tuks are really cheap.Do ensure that you confirm the price per person before boarding these shared tuk tuks.Day 3 - By now,we were getting used to the weather,food and streets in Thailand.The strong cooking oil odor is everywhere and takes time getting used to.Day 3 started by a walk down the Pattaya beach road.The beach is strictly okay here.Travel Tip - Buy water from 7/11.It would cost anywhere between 9-18 THB.Restaurants charge a lot for bottle of water.After a long walk down the beach road and lunch at an Indian restaurant,we were back at our hotel ready to move back to Bangkok.The bus ride from Pattaya to Bangkok feels very similar to the bus ride from Mumbai to Pune.Since,we had an early morning flight to Phuket next morning,we booked a hotel (G9 Bangkok) closer to the Don Mueng airport.Travel Tip - If you are short of food and it is very late in the day - just walk upto a 711 store and buy packed food for 35-60THB.They would warm it at their store for you to carry back to your hotel.We had to do this because all restaurants in the area had closed by the time we got ready for dinner.If one has time,chatuchak market is a must visit.Day 4 - Travel to Phuket!A very different place compared to cities in North Thailand.The approach to Phuket runway is lovely! There are several small hills dotting the sea below!It looks gorgeous from the top.Read More

Day 2 - Was travel day to Pattaya.Thanks to a very minor accident,we had to postpone the travel to early evening and not morning as planned.We took a bus from Ekkamai bus station to Pattaya.Buses leave on time here and hence it is best to arrive early enough.It gets very humid in Bangkok and hence best to ensure that you consume enough fluids through the day.We arrived at our hotel in Pattaya,relaxed for while before we headed to the streets nearby.Pattaya can be very much on your face initially.Definitely not my favorite place!Travel tip - shared tuk tuks are really cheap.Do ensure that you confirm the price per person before boarding these shared tuk tuks.Day 3 - By now,we were getting used to the weather,food and streets in Thailand.The strong cooking oil odor is everywhere and takes time getting used to.Day 3 started by a walk down the Pattaya beach road.The beach is strictly okay here.Travel Tip - Buy water from 7/11.It would cost anywhere between 9-18 THB.Restaurants charge a lot for bottle of water.After a long walk down the beach road and lunch at an Indian restaurant,we were back at our hotel ready to move back to Bangkok.The bus ride from Pattaya to Bangkok feels very similar to the bus ride from Mumbai to Pune.Since,we had an early morning flight to Phuket next morning,we booked a hotel (G9 Bangkok) closer to the Don Mueng airport.Travel Tip - If you are short of food and it is very late in the day - just walk upto a 711 store and buy packed food for 35-60THB.They would warm it at their store for you to carry back to your hotel.We had to do this because all restaurants in the area had closed by the time we got ready for dinner.If one has time,chatuchak market is a must visit.Day 4 - Travel to Phuket!A very different place compared to cities in North Thailand.The approach to Phuket runway is lovely! There are several small hills dotting the sea below!It looks gorgeous from the top.

Next day we headed to Pattaya, Bangkok to Pattaya is a smooth bus ride of 2 hours. We had booked a hostel near Jomtein beach. There are loads of options for stay and food near the beach. 7/11 are everywhere in Thailand so you can stock up on essentials whenever you need. We had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the Jomtein beach. We then rented a bike for site seeing here at 300 Thai Bahts per day.

Day we need to checkout and move to Bangkok. After checkout we planned to cover the rest of the places in Pattaya. We booked a cab to see the local places like crocodile park,floating market and gems gallery. Cab driver charged us 900 baht per person including all the entry tickets.

*** Day 2 and 3:We took a tuk-tuk (100 baht) to Robinsons Mall near the Saphan Taksin BTS. We did quite a bit of shopping. We checked out of hotel at around 12 noon, and took a metered taxi to Ekkamai Bus Station (near Ekkamai BTS). It came to about 100 baht. 1 PM bus to Pattaya (124 baht/person – The government blue and white bus). Takes around 2 hours and we reached the Pattaya Bus Terminus.

Visit the tallest building of Pattaya - Pattaya tower and experience Speed Shuttle/ Tower Jump which gives you breathtaking views of the city. Enjoy the famous cabaret show - Alcazar show in the evening.

MMT had booked our flights from Mumbai to Bangkok & back with Bangkok Airways, a regional airline, not as big as some of the other popular airlines. But it turned out to be good. My partner & I were the first couple to finish the Arrivals formalities at the Suvarnabhumi Airport, including VISA ON ARRIVAL etc and found our wonderful guide Ms. Tuk (a Thai National) waiting for us, right at 5.30 am. There were other couples in tow (though we didn’t know till then) and we waited for them till 7.30 am. You can expect this when there are 2-3 more couples with you, as everybody may not be as fast as you. We started off in a Toyota Mini Van, had Indian breakfast somewhere in between in Bangkok itself and then went straight to Pattaya (a little over 2 hours drive). The vehicle was very clean & nice, with Indian music being played (Hindi songs – straight from Kumar Sanu 1990s era). The breakfast is bad, except for the Orange Juice. After the breakfast, there was an introductory meeting of the couples – just to get to know eachother – and MMT pitches in with all the attraction points to go to & all activities that are must-do, at additional cost of course. But MMT doesn’t force you and respects your decision, if you don’t want to join them.

Continue your Cambodia travel guide from Siem Reap as you head to Battambang, also situated in the northwest. It's a sleepy town with a relaxed attitude and the region is Cambodia's major rice producer. If you want a break from bus journeys, why not take a boat? It will be slow but crowded but will give you a feel of rural Cambodia.